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PIP Telephone Assessment & PA4 - Points reduced

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3 years 4 months ago #265665 by Abu Ray
Hello all!

I have been helping my wife with PIP and we initially got a two year award in 2019, 8 points for the daily living component and 10 points for planning and following journeys.

The PIP award for due to expire and so we filled out the online PIP form using this site for guidance (which is always appreciated).

We also got medical evidence from a private mental health counsellor and a private chartered physiotherapist.

My wife has been suffering with mental health, depression and anxiety; however, upon seeing the chartered physio, the physio confirmed that my wife had symptoms of long covid! something we did not even know about - we then got on to our GP in order to progress this, blood tests have been taken and we are awaiting further scans - unfortunately it can take up to 12 weeks!

Anyway, last week we had our telephone assessment, it was a male nurse who called and his telephone matter was good. The telephone assessment lasted for around an hour and on the same day we got a text to say the report had been sent to DWP to make a decision.

We called DWP on the same day to ask for the PA4 (report completed by the nurse) and to our surprise we got more or less the same amount of points for daily living - 8 points. Good start we thought....until we turned to the mobility section of the report...they awarded my wife 0 for planning and following journeys where previously (in 2019) she was awarded 10 points.

I understand that the next best step is to write to the DWP decision maker highlighting where the nurse may have got things wrong.

We are happy with the daily living scoring, just not the mobility part.
Also, the nurse ruled out long covid to say a formal assessment had not been undertaken as of yet - this is not our fault as the GP advised that it can take 12 weeks and we are in the early stages of the various tests etc.

Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks.

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3 years 4 months ago #265672 by BIS
Hi Help-the-helpless

You should write to the decision-maker as soon as possible. The assessor was correct that they will not take account of Long Covid until you have a formal diagnosis, but that is the same for most conditions. There is nothing to stop you later from putting in for a change of circumstances when the diagnosis is confirmed.

With regards to losing the 12 points for planning and following a journey, you will need to show that the assessor was wrong in thinking that your wife may have improved from the last assessment.

BIS

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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